Basel, Switzerland  - Roche, the Swiss drug manufacturer, has struck a deal to buy out Genentech, a United States based biotech group, the two companies announced Thursday.

The move would cost Roche approximately 46.8 billion dollars for the 44-per-cent stake it does not already have in the biotech firm.

Under the agreement, the Swiss group would pay 95 dollars a share. It was only reached after months of negotiations, which at one point led Roche to go directly to shareholders with an offer that Genentech urged them not accept. Analysts felt the San Francisco company was holding out for a better price, as it was insisting on 112 dollars a share, far above market value.

India’s Aurobindo Pharma has notified that it has secured tentative approval from US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for marketing generic lopinavir/ritonavir tablets.

It should be noted that the drug are generic equivalent of Abbott Laboratories' (ABT) Kaletra tablets and falls under anti-retrovial (ARV) segment.

The drugs are prescribed for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and children above the age of two years. The tablets are used together with other anti-retroviral agents.

New York  - Drug maker Merck & Co will merge with rival Schering-Plough Corp in a deal valued at 41.1 billion dollars, the companies announced Monday.

The deal would double the number of medicines under the final stages of development by Merck to 18 and create the second-largest US pharmaceutical firm.

Under the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders will receive 0.6 shares of Merck and 10.50 dollars for each share, amounting to a total of 23.61 dollars per share.

Project Vikas to enhance efficiency of around 1,000 A'bad-based pharma SMEs

Pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters in Ahmedabad received a booster dose in form of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) and Microsoft India's joint initiative 'Project Vikas', aimed at building their skill and increasing efficiency and reliability. Under this project, launched in Gujarat on Wednesday, Microsoft India will provide support through its customised software to around 1,000 Ahmedabad-based small and medium scale units engaged in pharma sector.

Aurobindo Pharma, one of the largest API manufacturers in Asia, has in

The announcement by Aurobindo Pharma to enter in to a strategic deal with US-based pharmaceutical major Pfizer helped its shares price on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The deal would allow selling of generic medicines, used for cardiovascular disease and central nervous system disorders, in the US and European market.

The global generic market is currently worth $270 billion and expected to grow over $500 billion in the next five years. Pfizer holds considerable shares in drug market, selling $10 billion non-exclusive drug annually.